Early English Alliterative Poems 25

Early English Alliterative Poems 25

 [Sidenote: God aloft raises a storm.]

Þe grete god i{n} his greme bygy{n}neȝ onlofte;

To wakan wedereȝ so wylde þe wyndeȝ he calleȝ, 948

& þay wroþely vp-wafte & wrastled togeder,

Fro fawre half of þe folde, flytande loude.

Clowdeȝ clust{er}ed bytwene kesten vp torres,

Þat þe þik þu{n}der þrast þirled hem ofte. 952

[Sidenote: A rain falls thick of fire and sulphur.]

Þe rayn rueled adou{n}, ridlande þikke,

Of felle flau{n}kes of fyr & flakes of soufre,

Al in smolderande smoke smachande ful ille,

[Sidenote: Upon the four cities it comes, and frightens all

folks therein.]

Swe[49] aboute sodamas & hit sydeȝ alle, 956

Gorde to gomorra þat þe grou{n}de lansed;

Abdama & syboym, þise ceteis alle faure,

Al birolled wyth þe rayn, rostted & bre{n}ned,

& ferly flayed þat folk þat i{n} þose fees lenged; 960

For when þat þe helle herde þe hou{n}deȝ of heuen

He watȝ ferlyly fayn, vnfolded bylyue.

[Sidenote: The great bars of the abyss do burst.]

Þe grete barreȝ of þe abyme he barst vp at oneȝ,

Þat alle þe regiou{n} to-rof i{n} riftes ful grete, 964

[Sidenote: Cliffs cleave asunder.]

& clouen alle i{n} lyttel cloutes þe clyffeȝ aywhere,

As lance leueȝ of þe boke þat lepes i{n} twy{n}ne.

[Sidenote: The cities sink to hell.]

Þe brethe of þe brynston bi þat hit blende were,

Al þo citees & her sydes sunkken to helle. 968

Rydelles wern þo grete rowtes of renkkes w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne,

When þay wern war of þe wrake þ{a}t no wyȝe achaped,

[Sidenote: Such a cry arises that the clouds clatter again.]

Such a ȝom{er}ly ȝarm of ȝelly{n}g þer rysed;

Þer-of clat{er}ed þe cloudes þat kryst myȝt haf rawþe. 972

[Sidenote: [Fol. 70b.]]

Þe segge herde þat sou{n} to segor þat ȝede,

& þe wenches hy{m} wyth þat by þe way folȝed;

[Sidenote: Lot and his companions are frightened, but continue

to follow their face.]

Ferly ferde watȝ her flesch, þat flowen ay ilyche,

Trynande ay a hyȝe trot þat torne neu{er} dorsten. 976

Loth & þo luly-whit his lefly two deȝt{er},

Ay folȝed here face, bifore her boþe yȝen;

Bot þe balleful burde, þat neu{er} bode keped,

 

[Headnote: LOT’S WIFE BECOMES A STIFF STONE.]

 

[Sidenote: Lot’s wife looks behind her, and is turned to a stiff

stone “as salt as any sea.”]

Blusched by-hynden her bak, þat bale forto herkken; 980

Hit watȝ lusty lothes wyf þat ou{er} he[r] lyfte schulder.

Ones ho bluschet to þe burȝe, bot bod ho no lenger,

Þat ho nas stadde a stiffe ston, a stalworth image

Al so salt as ani se & so ho ȝet standeȝ. 984

[Sidenote: Her companions do not miss her till they reach Zoar.]

Þay slypped bi & syȝe hir not þat wern hir samen feres,

Tyl þay i{n} segor wern sette, & sayned our lorde;

Wyth lyȝt loueȝ vplyfte þay loued hy{m} swyþe,

Þat so his seruau{n}tes wolde see & saue of such woþe. 988

[Sidenote: By this time all were drowned.]

Al watȝ dampped & don, & drowned by þe{n}ne;

[Sidenote: The people of Zoar, for dread, rush into the sea and

are destroyed.]

Þe ledeȝ of þat lyttel tou{n} wern lopen out for drede,

I{n}-to þat malscrande mere, marred bylyue,

Þat noȝt saued watȝ bot segor þat sat on a lawe, 992

[Sidenote: Only Zoar with three therein (Lot and his daughters)

are saved.]

Þe þre ledeȝ þer-i{n}, loth & his deȝter;

For his make watȝ myst, þat on þe mou{n}t lenged

In a stonen statue þat salt sauor habbes,

[Sidenote: Lot’s wife is an image of salt for two faults:

1. She served salt before the Lord at supper.

2. She looked behind her.]

For two fautes þat þe fol watȝ fou{n}de i{n} mistrauþe; 996

On, ho serued at þe soper salt bifore dryȝtyn

& syþen, ho blusched hir bihynde, þaȝ hir forboden were;

For on ho standes a ston, & salt for þat oþ{er},

& alle lyst on hir lik þat arn on launde bestes. 1000

[Sidenote: Abraham is up full early on the morn.]

Abraham ful erly watȝ vp on þe morne,

Þat alle naȝt [so] much niye hade no mon i{n} his hert,

Al i{n} longi{n}g for loth leyen i{n} a wache,

Þer he lafte hade oure lorde, he is on lofte wo{n}nen; 1004

[Sidenote: He looks towards Sodom, now only a pit filled with

pitch, from which rise smoke, ashes and cinders, as from a

furnace.]

He sende toward sodomas þe syȝt of his yȝen,

Þat eu{er} hade ben an erde of erþe þe swettest

As aparau{n}t to paradis þat plantted þe dryȝtyn,

Nov is hit plu{n}ged i{n} a pit like of pich fylled. 1008

[Sidenote: [Fol. 71a.]]

Suche a roþu{n} of a reche ros fro þe blake,

Askeȝ vpe i{n} þe ayre & vselleȝ þer flowen,

As a fornes ful of flot þat vpon fyr boyles,

When bryȝt bre{n}nande brondeȝ ar bet þ{er} an-vnder. 1012

Þis watȝ a uengau{n}ce violent þat voyded þise places,

Þat fou{n}dered hatȝ so fayr a folk & þe folde sonkken.

 

[Headnote: THE DEAD SEA COVERS THE FIVE CITIES.]

 

[Sidenote: A sea now occupies the place of the four cities.]

Þer faur{e} citees wern set, nov is a see called,

Þat ay is drouy & dym, & ded i{n} hit kynde, 1016

Blo, blubrande, & blak, vnblyþe to neȝe,

[Sidenote: It is a stinking pool, and is called the Dead Sea.]

As a stynkande stanc þat stryed sy{n}ne,

Þat eu{er} of sy{n}ne & of smach, smart is to fele;

For-þy þe derk dede see hit is demed eu{er} more, 1020

For hit dedeȝ of deþe duren þere ȝet.

For hit is brod & boþe{m}leȝ, & bitter as þe galle,

[Sidenote: Nothing may live in it.]

& noȝt may lenge i{n} þat lake þat any lyf bereȝ,

& alle þe costeȝ of kynde hit combreȝ vchone; 1024

[Sidenote: Lead floats on its surface.]

For lay þ{er}-on a lump of led & hit on loft fleteȝ,

[Sidenote: A feather sinks to the bottom of it.]

& folde þ{er}-on a lyȝt fyþ{er} & hit to fou{n}s synkkeȝ.

[Sidenote: Lands, watered by this sea, never bear grass or weed.]

& þ{er} wat{er} may walt{er} to wete any erþe,

Schal neu{er} grene þ{er}-on growe, gresse ne wod nawþ{er}. 1028

If any schalke to be schent wer schowued þ{er}-i{n}ne,

Þaȝ he bode i{n} þat boþe{m} broþely a monyth,

[Sidenote: A man cannot be drowned in it.]

He most ay lyue i{n} þat loȝe i{n} losy{n}g eu{er}-more,

& neu{er} dryȝe no dethe, to dayes of ende; 1032

& as hit is corsed of kynde & hit coosteȝ als,

[Sidenote: The clay clinging to it is corrosive, as alum,

alkaran, sulphur, etc., which fret the flesh and fester the

bones.]

Þe clay þat clenges þ{er}-by arn corsyes strong,

As alu{m} & alkaran,[50] þat angré[51] arn boþe,

Soufre so{ur}, & sau{n}dyu{er}, & oþ{er} such mony; 1036

& þer walteȝ of þat wat{er} i{n} waxlokes grete,

Þe spuniande[52] aspaltou{n} þat spysereȝ sellen;

& suche is alle þe soyle by þat se halues,

Þat fel fretes þe flesch & festred[53] bones. 1040

[Sidenote: On the shores of this lake grow trees bearing fair

fruits, which, when broken or bitten, taste like ashes.]

& þer ar tres by þat terne of trayto{ur}es;

& þay borgou{n}eȝ & beres blomeȝ ful fayre,

& þe fayrest fryt þat may on folde growe,

As orenge & oþ{er} fryt & apple garnade 1044

[Sidenote: [Fol. 71b.]]

Also red & so ripe & rychely hwed,

As any dom myȝt deuice of dayntyeȝ oute;

Bot quen hit is brused oþ{er} broken, oþ{er} byten i{n} twy{n}ne,

No worldeȝ goud hit wyth-i{n}ne, bot wydowande[54] askes; 1048

 

[Headnote: IT IS A TOKEN OF WICKEDNESS AND VENGEANCE.]

 

[Sidenote: All these are tokens of wickedness and vengeance.]

Alle þyse ar teches & tokenes to trow vpon ȝet,

& wittnesse of þat wykked werk & þe wrake aft{er},

Þat oure fader forferde for fylþe of þose ledes.

[Sidenote: God loves the pure in heart.]

Þe{n}ne vch wyȝe may wel wyt þat he þe wlonk louies, 1052

& if he louyes clene layk þat is oure lorde ryche,

[Sidenote: Strive to be clean.]

& to be couþe i{n} his co{ur}te þ{o}u coueytes þe{n}ne

To se þat semly i{n} sete & his swete face,

Clerrer cou{n}seyl, cou{n}sayl con I non,

bot þat þ{o}u clene worþe. 1056

[Sidenote: Jean de Meun tells how a lady is to be loved.]

For clopy{n}gnel i{n} þe compas of his clene rose,

Þer he expouneȝ a speche, to hy{m} þat spede wolde,

Of a lady to be loued, loke to hir sone,

[Sidenote: By doing what pleases her best.]

Of wich bery{n}g þat ho be, & wych ho best louyes, 1060

& be ryȝt such i{n} vch a borȝe of body & of dedes,

& folȝ þe fet of þat fere þat þ{o}u fre haldes.

& if þ{o}u wyrkkes on þis wyse, þaȝ ho wyk were,

Hir schal lyke þat layk þat lyknes hir tylle. 1064

If þ{o}u wyl dele drwrye wyth dryȝtyn þe{n}ne,

[Sidenote: Love thy Lord!]

& lelly louy þy lorde & his leef worþe.

[Sidenote: Conform to Christ, who is polished as a pearl.]

Þe{n}ne co{n}fo{ur}me þe to kryst, & þe clene make,

Þat eu{er} is polyced als playn as þe p{er}le seluen. 1068

For loke fro fyrst þat he lyȝt w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne þe lel mayden!

[Sidenote: By how comely a contrivance did he enter the womb of

the virgin!]

By how comly a kest he watȝ clos þere,

When venkkyst watȝ no v{er}gynyté, ne vyole{n}ce maked,

Bot much clener watȝ hir corse, god ky{n}ned þeri{n}ne; 1072

[Sidenote: In what purity did he part from her!]

& efte when he borne watȝ i{n} beþelen þe ryche,

I{n} wych puryté þay dep{ar}ted; þaȝ þay pou{er} were,

Watȝ neu{er} so blysful a bo{ur} as watȝ abos[55] þe{n}ne

[Sidenote: No abode was better than his.]

Ne no schroude ho{us} so schene as a schepon þare, 1076

Ne non so glad vnder god as ho þat grone schulde;

[Sidenote: The sorrow of childbirth was turned to joy.]

For þer watȝ seknesse al sou{n}de þat sarrest is halden,

& þer watȝ rose reflayr where rote hatȝ ben eu{er},

& þer watȝ solace & songe wher sorȝ hatȝ ay cryed; 1080

[Sidenote: [Fol. 72a.]]

[Sidenote: Angels solaced the virgin with organs and pipes.]

For au{n}gelles w{i}t{h} i{n}strumentes of organes & pypes,

& rial ry{n}gande rotes & þe reken fyþel,

& alle hende þat honestly moȝt an hert glade,

Aboutte my lady watȝ lent, quen ho delyu{er} were. 1084

 

[Headnote: CHRIST WAS EVER PURE.]

 

[Sidenote: The child Christ was so clean that ox and ass

worshipped him.]

Þe{n}ne watȝ her blyþe barne burnyst so clene,

Þat boþe þe ox & þe asse hym hered at-ones;

Þay knewe hy{m} by his clannes for ky{n}g of nature,

For non so clene of such a clos com neu{er} er þe{n}ne; 1088

& ȝif clanly he þe{n}ne com, ful cortays þ{er}-aft{er},

[Sidenote: He hated wickedness, and would never touch ought that

was vile.]

Þat alle þat longed to luþ{er} ful lodly he hated;

By nobleye of his norture he nolde neu{er} towche

Oȝt þat watȝ vngoderly oþ{er} ordure watȝ i{n}ne. 1092

[Sidenote: Yet there came to him lazars and lepers, lame and

blind.]

Ȝet comen lodly to þat lede, as laȝares monye,

Su{m}me lepre, su{m}me lome, & lom{er}ande blynde,

Poysened & parlatyk & pyned i{n} fyres,

[Sidenote: Dry and dropsical folk.]

Drye folk & ydropike, & dede at þe laste; 1096

Alle called on þat cortayse & claymed his g{ra}ce.

[Sidenote: He healed all with kind speech.]

He heled hem wyth hynde speche of þat þay ask aft{er},

For what-so he towched also-tyd to{ur}ned to hele,

Wel cla{n}ner þen any crafte cowþe devyse; 1100

So clene watȝ his hondely{n}g vche ordure hit schonied,

[Sidenote: His handling was so good, that he needed no knife to

cut or carve with.]

& þe gropy{n}g so goud of god & man boþe,

Þat for fetys of his fyngeres fonded he neu{er}

Nauþ{er} to cout[56] ne to kerue, w{i}t{h} knyf ne wyth egge, 1104

For-þy brek he þe bred blades wyth-outen;

[Sidenote: The bread he broke more perfectly than could all the

tools of Toulouse.]

For hit ferde freloker i{n} fete i{n} his fayre honde,

Displayed more pryuyly when he hit part schulde,

Þe{n}ne alle þe toles of tolowse moȝt tyȝt hit to kerue, 1108

[Sidenote: How can we approach his court except we be clean?]